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Sadiq Khan launches bid to crackdown on 'rocketing' number of minicabs in congestion charge zone

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transpo ... 81026.html

A bid to reduce the “rocketing” number of minicabs circulating within the congestion charge zone was launched today by Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Tougher emission rules limiting the type of private hire vehicles able to claim a 100 per cent discount on the £11.50 weekday charge could be introduced from next April.

Transport for London estimated this could cut the number of minicabs in the zone by up to 45 per cent — from 18,000 to 10,000 — and raise about £115,000 a day. Black cabs will continue to be exempt from the C-charge as they can carry wheelchair users.

The number of minicabs in central London, including Uber​ vehicles, has “rocketed” from 4,000 a day since the C-charge was introduced in 2003, TfL said. It blames the increasing popularity of Uber and the growth of home deliveries for causing congestion.

Cutting the number of minicabs would reduce pollution and improve bus journey times, it added.

The new rules would require petrol and diesel minicabs to meet the EU’s “Euro 6” emission standards, emit no more than 75g/km of CO2 and be able to run for at least 20 miles in “zero emission” mode. TfL said about 10 per cent of minicabs that currently qualify for the discount would become ineligible.

It is thought more modern versions of the Toyota Prius hybrid, used by many Uber drivers, already meet these standards and thus will continue to be exempt. Uber declined to comment.

However, the rules — which would be introduced alongside an ultra-low emission zone that will charge older polluting vehicles an extra £12.50 a day — would be tightened in 2021 so that only fully electric vehicles will get the discount.

TfL’s Alex Williams said: “It is only right we keep the discounts and exemptions for the scheme under review to make sure it continues to be effective.”

Mr Khan wants 80 per cent of all trips to be made on foot, by bike or public transport by 2041.

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PHV company Addison Lee said removing the congestion charge exemption would represent "a very significant cost to the industry of as much as £250 per driver, per month".

"As well as seriously jeopardising the wages of tens of thousands of PHV drivers, the net impact of taking money out of the industry to pay the congestion charge would also be to undermine TfL's efforts to raise quality and safety standards," it said.

"Funds required by the industry and drivers to invest for improvements in safety standards would accrue to TfL instead."

Presumably this is the wrong way round - only 10 per cent that currently qualify for the discount would remain eligible?

So of the current PHVs in the congestion charge zone:

10% would remain exempt from the charge
45% would pay the charge
45% would disappear from the zone

= uber working Oxford brighton Southend etc.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I'm not so sure.

Euro 6 is basically all cars from September 2014, and many from before then.

Now I doubt only !0% of vehicles in London are post Sept 2014, as my eyes see a vast improvement in minicab vehicle standards, if maybe a decrease in drivers standards.

I think the 2021 must be electric deadline is the one that will cause the most concern for the London minicab trade.

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IDFIMH

Uber currently don't allow TfL Ubers to log on in B&H and Southend.

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IDFIMH

So if only 10% of current PHVs eligible for the discount become ineligible then 90% of the current fleet is OK?

Assuming that, then TfL's claim that 45% of current PHVs would disappear from the zone is wholly illogical.

That's why I assumed that the 10% figure referred to current PHVs that would remain eligible.

Thus 90% would become eligible to pay the charge, and TfL saying 45% wouldn't pay, therefore 45% *would* pay.

If you're doubting the 10% figure because 40% (say) of current PHVs are Euro 6 compliant, then presumably that's because of the other two conditions that have to be fulfilled, namely "no more than 75g/km of CO2" and, in particular, "be able to run for at least 20 miles in “zero emission” mode".

Being "able to run for at least 20 miles in “zero emission” mode" presumably means it has to either be an electric vehicle or a hybrid, which I assume most Euro 6 vehicles are not, and that's therefore where the 10% figure comes from.

Note the article also says:



Presumably TfL also assuming that there will be slightly more PHVs meeting the criteria by then, either because the change encourages drivers to buy compliant vehicles, or because there would no doubt be slightly more in use by then anyway. But on the other hand this will only apply to a relatively small proportion, and most of the fleet would become eligible to pay the charge.

In a nutshell, then, it seems that 90% of current London PHVs will be eligible to pay the congestion charge from April 2019, but half of them will stay out of the zone, and the other half will pay.

really

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Correct.

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IDFIMH

Grateful for you for clearing that up.

I suspect the amount paying will be considerably more, as I'm struggling to see how a driver can or will refuse to take a punter into the zone.

Or will they have drop off points just outside, and pick up points just inside to transfer punters.

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IDFIMH

Have they sorted out all those with flash sports cars who had them registered as PH , so they didn't have to pay the congestion charges??

To add to the confusion, there's 2 Euro 6 emission standards, one for cars/light commercials and another for buses and lorries! Maybe citizen Khan isn't aware of the difference as indeed most of us aren't.